Kindle Voyage Teardown: It Sure Is Cramped Behind That Glass Screen

For those who prefer the finer things in life, Amazon's Kindle Voyage provides a luxurious e-reading experience with a steep $US290 price tag -- if you also want wireless connectivity. But that didn't stop the folks at iFixit from immediately tearing it asunder once they got their hands on one. If you think the Voyage is pretty on the outside, you'll definitely enjoy its electronic eye candy on the inside.

So how does Amazon justify charging almost three Benjamins for the Voyage? Apparently a discreet ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts its screen brightness qualifies as a luxury feature.

And in lieu of old-school mechanical buttons like the proletariat have to use for turning the page on their ereaders, the Voyage uses a "custom-designed force sensor made of carbon and silver" that reacts to gentle pressure from a finger and provides a subtle vibrating haptic response in return. It's basically the Beluga caviar of buttons, and certainly helps justify the Voyage's price tag.

Overall iFixit rated the Kindle Voyage a 7 out of 10 for repairability, which means that while some of its modular components are easily replaced, there are also some fragile bits like its glass screen that are harder to swap out. But if you're spending $US300 on an ereader instead of a tablet, it's probably a good idea to take special care of it anyways. [iFixit]